Seven Earth-size planets have been found to orbit a dwarf star 40 light-years away. Finding life as we know it there would mean it's likely elsewhere in galaxy, too, says physicist Marcelo Gleiser.

(Image credit: NASA-JPL/Caltech)

]]>Marcelo GleiserScientists Say Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Made Earth's Surface Act Like LiquidThe asteroid smashed into Earth. And from miles under the Earth's surface, rock hurtled upward to a height twice that of Mount Everest and then collapsed outward to form a ring of mountains.Tue, 22 Nov 2016 16:31:00 -0500http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/11/22/503013290/scientists-say-dinosaur-killing-asteroid-made-earths-surface-act-like-liquid?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=alienlife
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The asteroid smashed into Earth. And from miles under the Earth's surface, rock hurtled upward to a height twice that of Mount Everest and then collapsed outward to form a ring of mountains.

(Image credit: Mark Garlick /Getty Images/Science Photo Library RM)

]]>Merrit Kennedy'Alien' Signal Source Reportedly Located (It Wasn't The Vulcans)If it were a phone call, we might call it a butt dial: A strong radio signal that set off speculation about possible alien origins is now believed to have come from a terrestrial source.Thu, 01 Sep 2016 17:37:00 -0400http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/09/01/492299629/alien-signal-source-reportedly-located-it-wasnt-the-vulcans?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=alienlife
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If it were a phone call, we might call it a butt dial: A strong radio signal that set off speculation about possible alien origins is now believed to have come from a terrestrial source.

Russian astronomers detected an unusual radio signal last year. The SETI Institute says it's too soon to say whether the signal came from intelligent life-forms — but researchers are checking it out.

(Image credit: Ben Margot/AP)

]]>Camila DomonoskeNASA Spots 1,284 New Planets, Including 9 That Are 'Potentially Habitable'Of the more than 1,200 planets in the latest trove turned up by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, about half seem to be rocky, like Earth.Tue, 10 May 2016 16:33:00 -0400http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/05/10/477517003/nasa-spots-1-284-new-planets-including-9-that-are-potentially-habitable?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=alienlife
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Of the more than 1,200 planets in the latest trove turned up by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, about half seem to be rocky, like Earth.

(Image credit: W. Stenzel/NASA)

]]>Nell Greenfieldboyce'Definite Evidence' Of Alien Life Within 20-30 Years, NASA Chief Scientist SaysEllen Stofan's colleagues on a panel agreed with that assessment. But Stofan was quick to point out: "We are not talking about little green men. We are talking about little microbes."Wed, 08 Apr 2015 13:41:00 -0400http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/04/08/398322381/definite-evidence-of-alien-life-within-20-30-years-nasa-chief-scientist-says?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=alienlife
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Ellen Stofan's colleagues on a panel agreed with that assessment. But Stofan was quick to point out: "We are not talking about little green men. We are talking about little microbes."

(Image credit: NASA/AP)

]]>Krishnadev CalamurLessons From Beyond The HeliopauseHow far can humans go? Farther than we know. That's one of the lessons we can learn from the Voyager spacecraft, says physicist Marcelo Gleiser. He sees these missions as the embodiment of our hope that we are not alone in the universe, that there may be other beings out there who embrace life and beauty.Wed, 25 Sep 2013 12:23:00 -0400http://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2013/09/24/225807337/lessons-from-beyond-the-heliopause?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=alienlife
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How far can humans go? Farther than we know. That's one of the lessons we can learn from the Voyager spacecraft, says physicist Marcelo Gleiser. He sees these missions as the embodiment of our hope that we are not alone in the universe, that there may be other beings out there who embrace life and beauty.

(Image credit: JPL-Caltech/NASA)

]]>Marcelo GleiserWant to Find Aliens? Look For Their DetritusIt may be far more likely that our first evidence of intelligent life in space will come by detecting their industrial waste. Commentator Adam Frank highlights a study on how we might spot the signs from Earth.Tue, 05 Mar 2013 15:27:00 -0500http://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2013/03/04/173462033/want-to-find-aliens-look-for-their-detritus?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=alienlife
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It may be far more likely that our first evidence of intelligent life in space will come by detecting their industrial waste. Commentator Adam Frank highlights a study on how we might spot the signs from Earth.

(Image credit: T. Pyle/NASA)

]]>Adam FrankWill E.T. Hear Us? Reply To 'WOW! Signal' Gets Beamed Into Space TodayThirty-five years ago today an astronomer wrote "Wow!" when he saw evidence of what might have been a message from deep space. One like it hasn't been detected since. Today, National Geographic's <em>Chasing UFOs</em> sends a reply.Wed, 15 Aug 2012 10:49:00 -0400http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2012/08/15/158827877/will-e-t-hear-us-reply-to-wow-signal-gets-beamed-into-space-today?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=alienlife
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Thirty-five years ago today an astronomer wrote "Wow!" when he saw evidence of what might have been a message from deep space. One like it hasn't been detected since. Today, National Geographic's Chasing UFOs sends a reply.

Ridley Scott's movie Prometheus makes us wonder about the benefits and risks of trying to artificially create life and intelligence in our labs. Could our creations destroy us?

(Image credit: Twentieth Century Fox)

]]>Marcelo GleiserDid Life On Earth Originate From Zombie Microbes?The new twist proposed a couple of years ago is that even if the microbes are dead when the rocks crash to earth, the information in their DNA might play a role in triggering or helping life here.Tue, 29 May 2012 08:23:00 -0400http://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2012/05/29/153906696/did-life-on-earth-originate-from-zombie-microbes?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=alienlife
http://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2012/05/29/153906696/did-life-on-earth-originate-from-zombie-microbes?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=alienlifeThe new twist proposed a couple of years ago is that even if the microbes are dead when the rocks crash to earth, the information in their DNA might play a role in triggering or helping life here.]]>Adam FrankOf Alien Intelligence, The Supernatural And DivinityCan we distinguish between ultra-advanced aliens and gods? Crazy as it may sound, commentator Marcelo Gleiser says this line of reasoning is sound and blurs the boundary between the natural and the supernatural.Wed, 23 May 2012 12:25:00 -0400http://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2012/05/23/153270190/of-alien-intelligence-the-supernatural-and-divinity?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=alienlife
http://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2012/05/23/153270190/of-alien-intelligence-the-supernatural-and-divinity?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=alienlifeCan we distinguish between ultra-advanced aliens and gods? Crazy as it may sound, commentator Marcelo Gleiser says this line of reasoning is sound and blurs the boundary between the natural and the supernatural.

(Image credit: iStockphoto)

]]>Marcelo GleiserSETI Plans To Resume Listening For Aliens Next Month, Thanks To DonationsThe SETI Institute's mothballed Allen Telescope Array — which scans the universe for signs of alien life — will soon be up and running again, thanks to more than $200,000 in donations that came from people including Jodie Foster and former astronaut Bill Anders.Tue, 16 Aug 2011 17:57:00 -0400http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2011/08/16/139684654/seti-plans-to-resume-listening-for-aliens-next-month-thanks-to-donations?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=alienlife
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The SETI Institute's mothballed Allen Telescope Array — which scans the universe for signs of alien life — will soon be up and running again, thanks to more than $200,000 in donations that came from people including Jodie Foster and former astronaut Bill Anders.

(Image credit: Ben Margot/AP)

]]>Bill ChappellSigns Of Life On A Meteorite? MaybeWhile we would love to write a headline saying that proof has been found that life does (or has) existed somewhere else in the universe, the best advice for now is to wait and see.Mon, 07 Mar 2011 10:05:00 -0500http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2011/03/07/134328711/signs-of-life-on-a-meteorite-maybe?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=alienlife
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While we would love to write a headline saying that proof has been found that life does (or has) existed somewhere else in the universe, the best advice for now is to wait and see.